MotherDaughter Days
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: All Regina ever wanted was her mother's love and to have mother and daughter days - Regina fan (Full prompt inside) Angst, tw for evil Cora in Regina's childhood but MillsFamilyFluff at the end.


_All Regina ever wanted was her mother's love and to have mother and daughter days. Set after Cora gets her heart back and feels real love for her daughter and she sees that Regina is there for her and they have mother and daughter days - Regina fan_

_Thanks for the prompt. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you all enjoy :) _

Regina sticks her tongue out over her lower lip as she sets up her tea party. She uses all her concentration making it as neat and pretty as possible as she hopes for one very special guest to attend. The five year old lays down a fine cream embroidered table-cloth before smoothing it over with her hands making sure there's no creases – her guest always likes things to be perfect after all.

Then she lays out her finest toy cups and dishes trying her best to remember how they're supposed to go. The teacher her Mama brought to the castle for her did tell her but it's a lot to remember and sometimes she forgets. She hopes she didn't today.

Once the little girl is happy with the cups and plates she quickly pulls over some chairs before choosing her other guests. She chooses her three favourite stuffed animals and a doll her mother gave her last year on her birthday.

Regina smiles seeing them sitting up at her tea party feeling proud at how nice her hard work looks. She skips over to her mirror checking that the bow in her hair is still tied and that her pretty tea party dress is un-creased and clean.

Now there's just one final thing to do.

She walks carefully and gracefully down the hallways the way her mother has shown her so many times in the past before reaching the door. Regina knocks quietly before hearing a loud sigh and then a "Come in."

Regina smiles nervously before pushing the door open and walking over to her mother. All she wants is her to say yes. She's thrown so many tea parties but there's only one guest she wants. Regina's a princess, she could have anything and everything but she doesn't want it – all she wants is for her mother to spend the day with her.

Cora frowns at the interruption to her magical work, "What is it Regina?"

"Mama," Regina says, "Can you come to my tea party?"

Cora's frown only deepens before she looks sternly at her child, "Pardon?"

"My tea party," Regina says with wide hopeful eyes, "I've made it all ready for you, please will you come?"

Cora shakes her head, "For god's sake Regina, I have important work to do and you interrupt me with something as inane as that? Go child and spend your time on something more worthwhile than the idle fancy of a tea party?"

Regina frowns, her eyes filling with tears, "But Mama," she sniffs.

"I said no," Cora says coldly. "Now leave me to my work."

Regina sighs sadly before hurrying out and back to her room. She runs past the tea party she painstakingly set up and flops down onto her bed. She sees the table taunting her and frowns angrily before tearing the cloth away letting the plates and cups smash to the ground. She'll be in trouble later and the tea party set is ruined for good but she already knows there'll be no more tea parties.

* * *

><p>At ten she hasn't given up hope for her mother's love. It's still the thing she wants most, for her mother to love her and want to spend the day with her. Regina's seen other parents and their children during rare trips to the village and they all seem to dote on their children. Her father does and he often will spend the whole day with her.<p>

She loves him but it doesn't stop him from wanting her mother as well.

Regina clears her throat nervously before walking over to where her mother sits. She's proposed many activities in the hopes of getting a 'yes' to a mother and daughter day but been shot down every time. This time she's going to offer up dance practice which she doesn't particularly enjoy but is something Cora often talks about.

"Mother," Regina begins and Cora looks up impatiently waiting for her to continue, "I have dance practice today."

"I'm well aware of your schedule dear, I make it," Cora replies sharply.

"I know," Regina says, "But was wondering if maybe you wanted to watch and we could spend the day together."

Cora tuts and sighs before standing, "Regina I don't have time for this nonsense. Just go get on with your lesson and for god's sake do as the tutor tells you."

Regina nods before walking away crestfallen. She shuffles into her lesson and goes through the motions of the moves but her mind rests on her mother as she wonders what it will take for Cora to want to spend time with her and be the mother she dreams of having.

* * *

><p>Regina smiles to herself as she puts her hair into a braid. She's fifteen now and in the past few years has found an escape in riding. Atop a horse she feels free and in control and she loves it. She checks her reflection in the mirror before walking into the main ballroom.<p>

Horse-riding is her thing and whilst her father is always at her lessons, her mother has never once attended. In spite of everything that shows her the way her mother is, Regina still desperately believes that she occupies a space in Cora's heart and that her mother loves her. It's what she wants most from her mother, not power or a title or anything else – just love.

Today Regina wants to try and share something she loves with her mother.

"Good morning mother," she says politely.

"Good morning dear," Cora replies.

Regina shifts nervously from one foot to the other before swallowing the lump in her throat as she remembers all the past rejections. She looks up to meet her mother's steely gaze and frowns. Cora frowns back, "Did you want something?" she asks, her voice laced with irritation.

Regina sighs before shaking her head, "No, I didn't want anything," she replies before turning and walking away to.

* * *

><p>It's been many years since the last time she asked her mother to spend the day with her but much has changed since then. Curses was cast and broken. Regina became an Evil Queen and then redeemed herself through hard work and her love for her son. Her mother came back to town and after trying to kill them regained her heart.<p>

Now after a lot of therapy sessions and conversations that resulted in hugs and or sobbing Regina finally feels like she has a mother who loves her which is what has led her to trying this again. She had a dream last night remembering the first time she asked her mother to have a mother/daughter day. She was rejected and she still remembers the devastation.

Today she hopes will be different.

Yet she can't help but be nervous. Regina fluffs her hair before knocking on the door to her mother's apartment. Cora pulls it open after a few moments before smiling at her daughter. She wasted so many years without her heart not knowing how to love her but now she does. "Regina, this is a lovely surprise," she says, "What brings you here?"

Regina smiles, "I – um – I…."

Cora frowns at her daughter's obvious nervousness before reaching out to place her hand reassuringly on Regina's arm. She rubs it in soothing circles before using her index finger to lift Regina's dropped chin, "What is it sweetheart?"

Regina smiles looking into her mother's eyes. As a child when she asked all she would see was coldness and impatience, now she sees patience and love. She takes a deep breath before replying, "I wanted to know if you wanted to spend the day with me, like a mother and daughter day."

Cora smiles sadly remembering all the times she said no to such a request. She wishes she had said yes now and cherished the time her daughter was young. She cannot take back those years, instead she must live with her regrets and try to be a better mother. Having her heart back in her chest has shown her what is important and for Cora that is her daughter.

"I would love to," she replies.

"Y-you would?" Regina asks stunned to finally get her yes. It's an overwhelming feeling as she remembers all the times she got a 'no' only now to get a 'yes'. She smiles happily as tears spring into her eyes. Her mother doesn't hesitate before pulling her in for a hug, "Oh honey I know," Cora says understanding painfully well her daughter's reaction. "I love you," she whispers as she rocks Regina slightly to soothe her.

"I love you too," Regina replies as her tears fade away, "What do you want to do for a mother/daughter day?"

Cora remembers all the offers for mother/daughter days Regina came up with, they were all tailored to suit her and what Regina felt Cora wanted. Her daughter tried so hard to please her only to get rejected. Another pang of guilt shoots through Cora's heart and she frowns slightly before looking back up at Regina and smiling, "Whatever you want sweetheart."

* * *

><p>After a day of breakfast at Granny's, horse-riding, apple-picking and then baking the pair settle on to Regina's couch to watch a movie. Cora has no idea what it is but she doesn't care. It makes Regina happy which is all that matters to her.<p>

She smiles as the film plays on not really paying attention but thinking of the day they just had. Cora's so glad she said yes. She wishes she had done before so they could have had this before now but wishing cannot make it so. What she can do is make sure they have more mother and daughter days in the future because she loved every minute of today. She got to see Regina relaxed and happy, it's something she doesn't see often enough given the stresses and regular enemies/magical problems that hit Storybrooke.

Today however was free of all that. They just got to be a mother and daughter and for Cora that was incredible. For Regina it was easily the best day and one of the better memories she has of her mother, today she felt loved and wanted and got the day she had wanted ever since she was a little girl.

Regina smiles as she feels exhaustion from a long, fun day overtake her.

Cora frowns as tries to make heads or tails of this movie Regina has put on. It doesn't make much sense to her. She's distracted by Regina's head suddenly landing on her shoulder. She nearly jumps in surprise before looking down and smiling seeing that her daughter has fallen asleep and simply lolled onto her. A year ago Regina would never have felt safe or at ease enough around her to do this and the sleepy motion shows Cora how far they've come.

She smiles down at her daughter before kissing the top of her head, "I love you sweetheart and I promise we'll have more mother and daughter days."

_Thanks for reading :) _


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